Author: I own the characters that are NOT from Slam Dunk…. If they are from Slam Dunk, they are property of Inoue Takehiko. Please don't sue me… Also, a foreword, I tend to be long winded when writing my fics, so at least you get the overall picture, as well as the locations/background, and worth your dollar on Internet charges! LOL Please do email/review me, and I can update the previous chapters. Thanks!
Words in italics or between slashes are thoughts, words within ^^ are actions, unless otherwise stated, words in brackets are locations usually before each section.
(=^_^=) Chapter 21 – Bitter gourd Taste At Nikiski Park (=^_^=)
(In Nikiski Park)
Sitting under the shelter of the public shelter in the park, Mitsui and Kimiko stared at each other. Kimiko was smiling. Mitsui was not. Unknown to them, they had quite an audience. Kimiko was the one to break the silence.
"Ano…Mit-chan how was class today?"
"Fine."
"I'm sure it was… I'm glad you liked the song… I practised extra hard to make it sound good!" giggled Kimiko, with a kawaii neko expression.
/Can't you just let me try to break up with you? Baka! I'm not worthy of you! / Thought Mitsui, a sweat drop forming on his head, as well as an "X".
Kimiko: ^Sweat drop^
After several seconds, Mitsui broke the silence.
"You sounded horrible…"
"Oh Mit-chan, thank yo… Nani?" A bolt of lightning struck Kimiko in the background, as she realised what Mitsui actually said.
"I said, you sounded horrible."
"B…But, everyone else thought I was good!"
"They're just being polite, damn it!" shouted Mitsui.
"What's wrong with you, Mit-chan?" asked Kimiko, concerned.
"What's wrong? What's WRONG? I'll tell you what's wrong!!!!" shouted Mitsui, even louder. /I'm the one that's wrong, Miko-chan, for you…/
"I'm sick and tired of having a relationship with a fat girl, that's what's wrong! I've been getting ridiculed and henpecked by you, I'm TIRED! My friends say I'm a sissy to accompany you with your dumb cooking meets, and sending you home. Frankly speaking, ever since I've been sending you home, I've had less sleep!"
"B…B…But you've never mentioned any of this to me before, when we discussed things!" argued Kimiko.
"I just don't want to waste my time anymore, when I could be doing better things, like working, or enjoying my youth… I want to be independent, and live my own life, I feel so cramped, being with you!"
"Mit-chan, what the hell has gotten into you?!" Kimiko shouted back.
Mitsui ran his hand over his hair, and put it into his pocket. "Nothing's wrong. I'm ready to move on, are you?"
"To the next stage?" asked Kimiko hopefully, that they were only having a minor spat.
"No." Mitsui looked straight at Kimiko, and said the following words: "Let's break up."
/Let's break up. /
/Let's break up. /
/Let's break up. /
Kimiko's eyes glazed over, as she heard those words. /What the hell is going on? Doesn't Mit-chan love me anymore? Is he pulling a fast one on me? / "Sonna, you're kidding, right, Mit-chan? Ne, Mit-chan?"
Mitsui just looked back at Kimiko.
"Omae… Mit-chan… I'm sure it's a joke, ne… NE!!!!!"
"I'm not laughing." Mitsui said.
"BAKA!" shouted Kimiko, as she gave him a whack on his shoulder. "What was all that then, all the words, care, concern and… so called love you gave me? What about when you first asked me to with you? What happened to that, huh? Was it all a joke?" Kimiko's voice was getting louder.
Suddenly, it began to drizzle, and then, it began to rain…
"I had nothing better to do, so I thought I'd get a girlfriend, that's all… Someone I thought could take care of my meals, my things…"
Kimiko looked at Mitsui as if he was the most despicable thing on the face of the earth. Mitsui could only look at the cemented floor of the shelter after seeing Kimiko's face.
Kimiko stood in front of Mitsui, and pointed her index finger at him. "Did you ever care about me from the beginning? Tell me, TELL ME, that you don't love me anymore… I DARE you!!!" cried Kimiko, her tears spilling over her cheeks.
/Miko-chan, must you make it SO GODDAMN difficult??? /
"I… don't love you anymore... Toyowara-san…"
A pang of hurt, as if a knife had been used, pierced through Kimiko's heart. In a pique of anger, Kimiko slapped Mitsui on the face, so hard, that it nearly sent him on the floor. Sadness followed. Kimiko dropped her aching hand that slapped Mitsui, and stared into the wet, dark, cloudy sky. /I have to get out of here… Anywhere…someplace safe…/
Not facing Mitsui, she uttered one word: "Sayonara…" before, running into the night, disappearing into the shadows.
After Kimiko left, Toyama called Mitsui on his cell phone to congratulate Mitsui on a successful break up, cackling loudly and evilly, before hanging up the phone. Mitsui sat in silence at the shelter, for several minutes. Standing up, he walked in the rain, amongst the lush greenery, thinking about what had just transpired. Mitsui then released a long, angst-ridden howl of agony, into the night sky.
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Running through the park, blinded by the rain, Kimiko aimlessly ran. She had to get out of the park, as soon as possible. But where would she go? Where COULD she go? She didn't want to go home. Once she reached the main road, she stopped. She looked to her left. Then she turned to her right. Her clothes were soaking wet, and not only weighed heavily on her plump frame, but stuck to her skin. Her hair was wet and dishevelled. Her make up ran down her face in trickles. She was a sorry sight to behold. She began walking to her right, and kept on walking, until she reached Yuki's home.
/Should I go in? Maybe I shouldn't… Yuki-sempai's parents know nothing about me staying there… Might get her into trouble… Kuso! Where else can I go? /
Kimiko then headed north. And reached the gates of the Akagi residence.
/Should I go in? Maybe it wouldn't be too nice… Haruko-chan might be awakened…/ looking at her watch, Kimiko sighed. /It's 2 in the morning… What the hell am I doing, walking in the rain? Where should I go? Where CAN I go? / At all these thoughts, Kimiko slumped to the ground, outside the main gate, and sobbed. Suddenly, she felt something cold pressing against her chest.
/Kogure-sempai's pendant…/ thought Kimiko, turning it to it's behind, reading the inscription. /"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If that is so, then in the eyes of this pendant, the wearer is the most beautiful of all. Happy Birthday, Kimiko. ~ Kogure"/
/Such wonderful words, for such an unworthy person… me…/
Kimiko stood up, and slowly made her way to Kogure's house.
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(Kogure's home)
Kogure could be seen sleeping on the couch, with the television on, since he didn't have to do any dishes that night. He looked like an angel, asleep, without glasses. However, that angelic slumber was about to be disturbed, by someone at his door.
-Knock! Knock!
"Hmmm? Who's that?" muttered Kogure reaching for his spectacles, struggling to stand up, to answer the door. "H…hai! Chotto matte, kudasai!
-THUD!
"What the heck was that?" Kogure grumbled, as he turned the doorknob. When he opened the door, the wet body of Toyowara Kimiko was lying at his front door.
"MASAKA!!!" cried Kogure, helping the semiconscious Kimiko to the couch. "Kimiko-chan, daijobu ka?"
"Hmmm? Hai, Daijobu desuuu…"
"What in heaven's name happened?" Kogure was worried about Kimiko's state of mind, rather than her appearance. Feeling her forehead, his face showed panic. "You're burning up, Kimiko-chan!"
Kimiko, lying down on the couch, just stared blankly into space, and after several minutes, she began to sob, uncontrollably.
"Kimiko-chan!!!"
Kimiko began to cease her crying, and then sat up, her eyes regaining their natural colour.
"Kogure-sempai, could you get me a towel please?"
"Hai. Chotto matte, kudasai…"
"Ano, could I go into the kitchen to drink something?"
"Hai, feel free to have anything you like, Kimiko-chan… Dozo…Will you be all right?" Kogure replied, as he went up the stairs to fetch a towel for Kimiko.
"Hai, daijobu desu." Replied Kimiko as she went to the kitchen.
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(Kogure's room)
/I wonder what happened to Kimiko-chan… did something happen to her during her date with Mitsui-san? Why isn't he with her?? I'll never understand those two…/ Kogure shook his head in puzzlement. /I'd better fix a little something for Kimiko-chan to eat later… she must be hungry… She looks kind of tired… her clothes are all wet, and sticking to her skin… Baka Kogure! Why are you thinking of such things! / Kogure slapped himself lightly on his cheek. /Luckily Akagi left a couple of clothes here when the three of us had to cram for the exams! Kimiko-chan should be able to fit into them…/ (L.I.D.[author]: Ha ha! Kogure got a BIT hentai! Wheee…)
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(In Kogure's kitchen)
/"Let's break up."/
/"I… don't love you anymore... Toyowara-san…"/
These words were replayed repeatedly in Kimiko's mind, as she entered Kogure's kitchen. Taking out a bottle of whisky form Kogure's parents' secret storage, she opened it, and drank straight from it. After she finished drinking her fill, she took the bottle and threw it away, for she didn't' want Kogure to get into trouble with broken shards of glass in his home.
/Baka Mitsui! BAKA!!! Who does he think he is???? I should have known that he was taking me for a ride! What a fool I've been! / Kimiko then banged her head; head butting it, once against the refrigerator door, leaving a slight dent on it. /To think I've wasted my time on someone who could never love me! I'm the Baka! BAKA!!! / Kimiko paused for a couple of seconds, before thinking again. /But I can't stop loving him, can I? Can I? What about my pride? My integrity? The feeling called love in my heart… Will or can I have it back? What can I do? /
A bolt of lightning and a crack of thunder roared outside the house.
Kimiko eyed the drawer where she knew Kogure kept his cooking utensils. She walked towards it, and opened the drawer. The glint of a sharp knife caught her eye. She picked it up, and a slow, but soon wide smile crept up onto her face.
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(=^_^=) Meow!
Ghostwriter-san: Thank you so much then, for reviewing! ^_^ *hugz* did you get enough sleep that night? ^_^ Oh no, he'll die? NOOO!!! :p Hmm… Mitsui is a man's man… he has something we girls will never understand, a huge ego.
Fehrocious-san: LOL! You're Mitsui mad, ne? *LOL at Kaede-kun* Hai, Miko-chan is a good girl ne? :p LOL how's your baking? Need any tips? :p *hugz*
Icko14-san: Glad I help to keep you coming back for more! ^_^ *hugz*
Demented ding-san: Yeap, he always wears the hottest club wear! ^_~ *LID considers Demented's offer for the price of a happy meal* I'll think about it! LOL
Rikachan-san: Nope Toyama's not in the comic or anime, he's from the realms of my mind kept for evil villains… ^Sweat drop^ arigato! Hope you like this chapter too! :p
Charon-san: ^Sweat drop^ on time is a subjective matter… You have to check regularly for updates my dear friend! ^_^ Didn't you get the email I sent you?? O_o *notices charon-san's want to kick her, and sweat drops*
E.C-san: Gomen ne, they did break up… Who knows, they might get back? *whistles* But don't take my word for it, you'll have to continue reading my fic like everyone else, gomen! ^_^
Super rookie-san: Well, from the looks of things, they did break up… *looks at Super rookie-san with her sharpened sword/knife and sweat drops* Ano…
Yen-san: Arigato! *Bows* Please do come back for updates! Hope you like this chapter!
Lady Harlequin-san: Well, see for yourself, they broke up now… still working on the chapters for the new fic too, but rest assured, it won't affect the quality in my other fics! ^_^
SyiveSe-san: LOL *sees how fickle SyiveSe-san can be* ^Sweat drop^ Glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! Now enjoy this one! ^_^